Electronics Recycling Blog

So much of the talk surrounding data security centers around hackers, but let’s not forget about the hardware side of things. What happens when the old devices that your team uses every day like laptops and cellphones get upgraded? Not to mention servers, scanners, and copier equipment.

All of these business tools contain data, and usually company markings, that need to be handled properly so that you don’t end up with a data security disaster! It happens — and it is 100% preventable.

It all starts with having a plan for retiring your electronics.

Hard drives are where companies are most vulnerable. Fortunately, you do have some choices.

The data can be destroyed by a certified wipe process. This is done with specialty software that Tech Dump uses and is guaranteed impregnable by any hacker.

If you want to take the next step in security, we can physically shred and smelt the drives at Tech Dump. The data is gone forever!

If you have a protocol that calls for physical destruction at your site then we can do that as well with our mobile hard drive shredder.

All 3 variations have an audit option for your records.

Some companies are vulnerable in assuming that they removed all of the hard drives. This can seem simple when a laptop has one hard drive, but what about servers that have multiple drives or printers and scanners that hold data? Or cellphones? Even experienced IT teams can miss hidden data.

Company markings or asset tags are another potential weakness in data security. Do you remember in 2006 when retired computers from Hamline University were illegally dumped in a lake? Fortunately, there wasn’t a data leak in this case, but it is a PR nightmare that can be avoided by selecting the right vendor.

Chain of custody is critical. Long gone are the days that you can put your computers out on the dock to be picked up. Electronics should be physically transferred from your team to ours. Once we take possession, rest assured your data is safe and secure.

Are all electronics recyclers the same? Absolutely not! There are many other companies offering electronics recycling that do not actually do the recycling themselves. Instead, many will enlist a 3rd party to pick up your stuff, bundle it with other people’s electronics and ship them somewhere else to be processed. In this process, there is plenty of time and opportunity for your data to get mishandled or lost. What then?

Data security is our number one priority, but there are some other important reasons to choose Tech Dump for your responsible electronics recycling.

Environmental standards. All of our downstream processors are located in the United States and are thoroughly vetted by us. We have a no export policy to ensure that it gets done right. We also have a no landfill policy. For companies that use the UN Sustainable Development Goals to guide them, our environmental policies contribute to 9.4,11.6,12.4, and 13.2. Our Impact Value Summary details this and is available to you on request.

People Standard. We are a social enterprise that provides jobs for people with barriers to employment and gives them the resume and skills to work toward stable, living wage jobs. Sometimes they stay on with us at Tech Dump, but generally, we strive to help them build his or her skills and move on to their next place of work upon graduating our program. Most of our team has experience in the criminal justice system, have not yet finished their formal education, or have struggled to get a foothold due to chemical dependency issues. Sometimes, it’s all three. For companies that use the UN Sustainable Development Goals to guide them, our people policies contribute to 1.2, 4.4,8.4, and 10.3. This is better than minimum wage paid work for the people that we serve and with their efforts, Tech Dump is able to financially maintain it’s nonprofit mission with 95% of its funding from business operations.

It’s not enough to just tell you what we do — we put our money where our mouth is. That is why we’ve invested in our R2 Certification. R2 is an outside organization that audits and inspects our process. There are other national electronics recycling companies also certified and are proud to be associated with this level of commitment to security, environmental, and people standards alongside them. However, many local providers are not certified. They have used creative marketing terms to imply their certification and standards, instead of investing in doing it the right way.

Now that we’ve told you all about us, call or email and tell us all about your company’s unique recycling needs. We’d love to do business with you!